The Chronicles of the Gods: Novus Ortis
by Yesterday's Tonic
Summary: The gods of old are far from being the legends that people think of. They're scattered and some lost, but they still exist. The Moirae are now beginning to pull the strings of time and the recuperation of the gods has now involved the Ronins. M: violence
1. Chapter 1: The Fates Pull the Strings

Hehe, my first serious fanfiction. I seriously need people's comments, feedback keeps me writing

-R

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**The Chronicles of the Gods: Novus Ortis**

**Chapter One: The Fates Pull the Strings**

Shinatsu was rummaging through the bin, her dirty, scraped hands shifting aside the various useless trash in pursuit of anything that could provide her with sustenance. The ache in her stomach was an intense burning sensation due to how hungry she was and she was so weak that her powers were nearly useless. Despite the seeming desperation of her plight the child experienced no regrets for the actions that had led her here.

Only a sprig of a girl, Shinatsu could barely have been ten by all appearances but she was in fact thirteen, nearly fourteen if you added a few months to her current age. She was a sad sight, her black hair hung around her face in greasy tendrils. Its length showed evidence of her efforts to cut it with a dull knife she'd found in the garbage. Her face was dirty and her legs were marked with bruises, her feet bare and bloody from running on rough pavement. Her knees were banged and chafed from hard falls.

"There's got to be something in here," she said in a whisper, vision unsteady from malnutrition. She stumbled upon something that could hardly be called food any more but the hunger she felt blocked any sense of horror or revulsion and she devoured it. Though she was far from satisfied, the girl's exhaustion overshadowed the gnawing hunger in her stomach. She climbed out of the bin and walked unsteadily to the abandoned warehouse that she now called her home.

Shinatsu crawled behind some crates into the dirty blankets she'd found and collected to make a nest. She covered herself up with them and sought protection from the early spring chill from the frayed and threadbare cloth. While trying to sleep and ignore her aching middle, her thoughts turned to the chain of events that had led to this predicament. She was an orphan and had become one only within the last year. However, when Shinatsu was placed in the care of the orphanage, her unusual nature was noticed by the other children if not by the adults and she was taunted relentlessly. She was called the devil child and the reputation she had of causing pain only saw to that even more.

The result was the unleashing of her long latent powers and lashed out towards her fellow orphans. Though one or two of the children were benign, the rest were not so innocent and faced the wrath of her intrinsically natural power - pain. She controlled pain, whether it was giving it or taking it away. The ensuing chaos of her undetectable attacks made her pause to consider her situation. She was an independent child anyway, why did she need this place? She was too strange, too dark and awkward to ever hope to fit in. With a nod to herself, she knew she had made the right decision, even as she finally began to drift off to sleep.

Terramine walked down the road with his hands shoved in his pockets. He was on his usual route to the nearby bar where he spent his free time consuming whatever alcohol his meager salary could afford him. He looked around him absently, barely noting the familiar city and faceless people who passed by as ignorant of him as he was of them. The boring monotony of the city bored him to tears and he drowned his misery every night with saki, hoping to wash away his dreams with each swallow. It never worked but he kept trying.

He was an oddity for this country with flaming red hair that hung down around his face in shaggy lengths like a dog's. His eyes were pale, pale blue and had often earned the remark that he resembled a demon. Perhaps that was why he'd been so successful as a practicer of the martial arts - his appearance alone was intimidating. He was, however, a fearsome fighter.

"Yo _dude!_"

The voice was familiar but Terramine wasn't sure if he could place it. He turned his head to locate the face that it was to be associated with and frowned as he saw the brown haired man who was pushing his way towards him. "Can I help you?" he asked, curiously.

The other laughed as if amused by his evident confusion. "Yeah, actually, maybe you can. Here, you dropped this."

He was surprised when the stranger was offering him his own wallet. "How..." he broke off. "It must have fallen out of my coat pocket," he sighed, taking it back, doing a brief but satisfactory search of the contents. "Thanks," he said.

The man nodded, "No problem. My name is Cye, what's yours?"

"Terramine," he responded, offering to shake hands.

Cye nodded as he shook his hand firmly. "Haven't I met you down at the Onboro no Boken?"

"Ah, perhaps," Terramine nodded, "I'm there frequently." It was an understatement. He was their best patron and that was saying something. If that bar ever went out of business it would be because he died from alcohol poisoning.

"I hate to seem as if I'm intruding, but want to get a drink?" Cye offered the man in front of him. "I'm bored and a friend might be nice for a change."

Terramine blinked and shrugged, "Sounds good to me," he said. "I was headed there anyway."

"Awesome!" Cye said, continuing the walk to the establishment. "So tell me about yourself."

He paused to consider this and said, "I don't know what there is to tell. I'm a martial art instructor long since out of work and scraping by as a stunt double for a snobbish actor. It pays only barely enough to be worth the while. And you?"

"Sea diver," Cye said calmly, his eyes up on the sky as he walked. "Taking a break because of a bad accident to a fellow diver."

"A friend?" asked Terramine.

"Yeah, you could say that," Cye said with a slight frown. The fact was that Ryo did not belong in the water and the man was still recuperating from being under too long.

"I hope he gets well soon, then," said the man. That wasn't true, actually, because Terramine was an indifferent and cold soul who couldn't care less about anyone unless they happened to anger him and he was driven to his famous tempers.

"He will recover," Cye nodded, "For now, we listen to him gripe about the shows on television because we won't let him up to do anything else. For some reason soap operas don't appeal to him much."

Terramine chuckled at the thought as they walked into the bar. "I wonder why not?" he mused.

Ademia awoke to the twittering of birds outside her window. She lifted her head from the pillow to peer out the clean class and see their excited forms around the feeder she had placed out for them. She was pleased they were enjoying her offering but not so much that they disrupted her sleep. Rolling onto her side, she pulled back her covers and pulled herself from bed. With a yawn and stretch, she began her morning ritual. After a shower she dressed and walked into her kitchen, intent on finding herself breakfast.

As she munched on her English muffin she peered out her screen door at the brightening spring morning. She enjoyed nature and the company of animals far above that of fellow humans. Many of the birds here were familiar with her and did not fear her, knowing she would not hurt them. She was closer to these animals in spirit than she had ever been to people in any stage of her life.

With a sigh, she turned and left the kitchen, heading to what might have been a living room at one point. It had been turned from a place of relaxation to her studio, set up with everything she needed for her work. She sat down in front of her current canvas and eyed it critically before beginning the necessary preparations to begin painting.

Ademia was perhaps thirty years of age though her early graying hair had been completely shorn off. Her face was long ravaged by fever and disease, the marks distorting what might have been a lovely face. Her cheeks were sunken, her eyes dark and heavily lined. Her nose showed evidence of several times broken and healing badly. Other scars and marks hinted at a more violent life than the one she currently had, alone except for her birds and paint.

She was a recluse, shunning the company of humans because of the way she had been treated by them and the way they never attempted to look past her face and see her true heart. This hurt her more than anything else.

Her paintings were the only form of vent that she had but they were far from ugly. Her best subjects were those of great beauty and joy, their bodies and faces divine masterpieces. She had found a following that support her sufficiently that she did not need an outside job and she lived by selling her paintings or doing the odd commission. She found whatever materials she needed for her painting off the internet. She ventured off her property for very little any more. When she did, her face was veiled to avoid the harsh recoils that she'd seen in the others for so long. She found that they handled the mystery better than the horror of the truth. She'd even heard the whispered rumor that she was a great beauty that concealed herself to preserve her virginity. These stories actually amused her where it seemed like it should have hurt desperately.

Lachesis watched this with interest. "The woman is now coping well," she commented. She was one of the three Fates, the controllers of destiny and the one who measured life on her rod.

"I am surprised," Clotho, the creator of the threads, now said, "She shows amazing resilience."

"Not so," came the dark voice of the third Fate, the one who controlled death. Atropos clarified, "She has retreated within herself and locked herself up to evade the darkness that would destroy her. She has refused to face the truth and now lives a lie."

"So sad," murmured Clotho with a voice that betrayed her indifference. In truth, none of the three goddesses cared about any of the people or even the gods that they spun the threads for. Their removal from the emotions that made humans inclined to mercy made them capable of carefully cutting short any life they chose if it suited them.

"It is time for the girl to find herself," Lachesis said, beginning to weave the cloth of Ademia's fate. "Her true self lies in shatters and in order to repair it she must pass the Tests. If she can pass them she will survive. If she does not, she will meet the final death."

Ademia looked up as her phone rang. She sighed and put her paintbrush in the container of water before moving to answer it. Harboring a general dislike of the devices, she had only one and it was in the kitchen. She knew it was most likely a request for more paintings from her agent in the city. She didn't often see her in person and it was just as well. Her services did not include social calls.

"Hello?" she asked, her Greek accent showing through as she put the device to her ear.

"Good afternoon miss Basilo," came her agent's cheerful voice. "I trust you know why I'm calling?"

"Ah, you're sold out again?" asked Ademia with some small amount of amusement.

"Indeed! You're becoming quite popular, I can't seem to keep anything here for more than a week."

"Well, I haven't got much at this point," admitted Ademia with a small frown. "Though I was painting when you called, so perhaps something by the end of the week."

"I look forward to seeing your newest work," said the woman with true happiness. She was a kind soul and was truly happy that the unfortunate Ademia had met with success, even as material as it was.

"Thank you Myrtle," said Ademia quietly. The woman didn't know much about her except that she'd had a volatile past and was scarred past recovery, both in physical and emotional ways. "I'll let you know the moment it's done."

"Thank you! Have a good day."

Ademia returned the farewell and hung up the phone. She leaned against the counter and considered herself. Turning her gaze to the ceiling, she said to herself, "If I had fallen prey to my selfish desire to end my own life, I would not have brought success to Myrtle and she would still be searching for someone to sponsor and perhaps not be able to afford to live anymore." She frowned. "It isn't much... but I shouldn't complain. So I won't." Sighing deeply, Ademia stood up and walked back to her painting, the face of the beautiful young angel staring back at her peacefully from her canvas. "I'm going to pretend you're a dirty liar and you have to fake life every day of your existence," she told the figure in the painting, resuming her task dutifully. "So take that, you disgustingly happy idiot."

It was dark when Shinatsu finally woke up. She poked her head out from her crates like a furtive creature of the night and then slipped out into the dusty open. Her habits had become much like a hunted animal's but she felt no real fear. No one could defy the decimating power of her curse when she laid eyes on them and as of yet no one had survived a chance encounter with her.

She pattered down the empty streets, keeping a sharp eye out for movement. Detecting none, she snuck around and down another side alley. She was hunting now for new sources of survival. She needed things to make her existence more tolerable and being sneaky was a natural talent to her, so she took to stealing them. The garbage only provided for her need to an extent. Often she used simply talents like picking locks or more advanced ones such as telekinetic destruction of alarm systems. At any rate, she'd become a top notch burglar.

She was on her way back to her little den when she very nearly got herself frightened to death. It was a strange thing to encounter anyone on the streets this time of night but there was indeed life. A hulking form of a man was walking down the sidewalk whistling to himself as he went, oblivious by all means. Shin was caught in a hard place because she didn't want to be caught with her trophies of the night or be noticed for the street urchin that she was. How to hide? She was panicked. She was too tired to use her powers to bring down someone of that size.

He was approaching all to quickly and Shinatsu flew into motion. She soundlessly dropped her bundle behind the nearby garbage cans, hopefully not noticed at all or even just mistaken as the day's trash. She then acted as if she were bringing out the garbage. She lifted up and then closed the garbage can, making a fuss about them. The man paused in his stride and stopped his whistling as he noticed her small form.

"Hey there," he said. "What are you doing out this time of night?"

"Taking out the garbage," Shin said in a bewitchingly innocent voice.

"This late?" he asked in bewilderment. "Kid, you'd better get inside."

"Nah, I'm ok," she answered shyly. "I like it outside at night."

He looked at her, something about what he could see of her suggested the air of one who had no home. "You sure?" he asked, not about her liking the night, but about being alright.

"I'm fine," she said with false brightness. "But oto-san will be annoyed if he finds that strange men have been talking to me," she added in a worried murmur.

"Of course," he nodded, turning to continue on his way. "Sorry, kid. Just tell the guy that Kento says his daughter ought not be outside this late alone. It isn't safe."

"Sayonara, Kento," murmured Shin, waiting until the man turned the corner and vanished. Do gooders never failed to annoy her.

Kento, of course, had already forgotten the girl as he met up with the source of his late night venture. "Cye!" he said in annoyance, seeing the drunk and staggering Ronin of Torrent making his way haphazardly down the sidewalk, supported by an equally drunk companion. "I'm getting real sick of playing mother and coming and dragging you back from these bars every night."

Cye slurred out, "But I made a new friend!"

Kento's eye twitched. "With the ones you've got, you think you could survive any more?" he asked.

"Aww, leave 'im alone," said the fiery haired man that was acting as Cye's counterbalance. "He's good fun, he is!"

"I suppose that means you've both spent the evening drinking and oggling at girl's boobs?" Kento asked blandly before grabbing Cye's ear. "Come on, you. Ryo's having kittens by now." Cye whined about it but consented, bidding a pathetic farewell to Terramine who was now making his own drunken way to his cheap apartment. Kento quickly tired of Cye's perpetual griping about how he was 'no fun' and a 'party pooper,' so he just gave Cye a hard thwack across the back of his head and tossed the disoriented man over his shoulder. Grumbling about how he was more of a fetch and carry than a Ronin Warrior, he carried the senseless and still very much intoxicated Cye home.

By the time Kento rounded the corner and walked back past the house where he had intercepted Shinatsu, she was long gone. He paused as he looked around, perhaps wondering where she might have gone to. However, he had to carry his witless friend home and as far as he could tell, the odd girl had gone back inside.

Shinatsu watched Kento disappear from view, eyes wide at the sight of him lugging off what she could only imagine to be a dead body. Panic filled her as she saw the limp arms of the man swaying helplessly as he was carried off into the night. Remembering that she'd actually been alone with this man, she wondered how she had been lucky and survived. Rationality had no part of it, she didn't pause to think that there was no way he could have killed someone as quickly as he'd come back through.

"What happened to Cye?" Ryo asked, coming out of the living room upon hearing the return of his team mate. He was staring as Kento put the unconscious man on the couch, "Did he get in a bar fight or something?"

Kento chuckled. "Nah, the idiot was staggering home with his drunk bar buddy. I intercepted him and brought him home at a quicker pace, aided by his silence after a hefty whomp on the back of the head."

Ryo gaped and then groaned. "Kento," he said. "You're not supposed to knock him out!"

Shrugging, Kento said, "He was due to pass out soon anyway. I just helped him along to it sooner."

"Why the big deal?" Rowen asked, now lifting his head from a text book. "It's a lot easier to study with him passed out."

"Why don't you just go to your apartment, Rowen?" Kento asked. "It seems like it would be easier to study without all of the distraction."

Rowen shrugged. "I don't want to miss anything," he provided.

Ryo grumbled, "I don't know what you'd miss, besides Cye's video games and me going slowly stir-crazy." Ryo had been confined to indoors while he recuperated from a dive gone badly wrong. Cye had appointed himself guardian of Ryo during this time to make sure that he didn't over exert himself or try to cheat on his rest.

Kento laughed at this and said, "Well, the rest of you crazies can hang out here. I'm heading home before my family forms a search party." He waved goodbye and went out the door, traipsing merrily up the road towards his car.

"It is time for the others to awaken," Clotho murmured, spinning meditatively.

"We must bring forth the rest of the players," agreed Lachesis.

"The dawn comes soon," said Atropis cryptically. "Ademia's first test is coming quickly."

"Compassion," said Lachesis. "If she cannot show compassion and mercy she will fail the test and therefore ruin her chances at recovery."

"I am interested to see how she fares," answered Clotho.

"Agreed," chimed the other two.


	2. Chapter 2: A Haven

**Chapter Two: A Haven**

Shinatsu woke up at the prying beams of sunlight that permeated the dusty atmosphere of her hiding place. It came through the slats in the crates she was concealed behind, searching out her eyelids and chasing away the restful darkness she'd known earlier. With a grumble of displeasure, she pushed herself up. It was no use sleeping any further, she needed food.

Coming out the front of the building's delapidated structure, she peered around cautiously before making her way down the alley. She needed food, yes, and not dumpster food. Luckily, Shinatsu was a clever and resourceful enough that she had a plan.

Ademia looked up from where she was painting as she heard what seemed to be the birds shrieking. Confused and worried, she picked up her headveil without thinking and put it on before heading outside. She was a quiet mover, her feet carrying her to the source of the uproar. What she saw shocked her sufficiently that she froze in place. A young girl, a rag-wearing, dirty and ill-kept child who couldn't have been more then twelve was robbing her birdfeeder, hungrily eating the seeds into her mouth and swallowing them. Though she was working quickly she did not waste any of the precious substance as she removed it from the container.

Ademia's face changed as she interpreted the girl's desperate appearance. Some part of her saw herself if she had chosen a different path with her life. She hesitated to draw attention to her presence, not wanting to frighten her off. "Child," she called out softly, keeping her voice non-threatening.

Shinatsu's head jerked up and her eyes went wide upon seeing that she had been discovered. Turning, she bolted off like lightning. She would not be caught and carried back to the orphanage, she wouldn't allow it.

Ademia acted before thinking. "Wait!" she called out, chasing after the girl. "Please, wait!"

Cornered, Shinatsu turned to face the woman, her eyes hard and determined. "I will not allow you to drag me back," she spat out, confusing poor Ademia. "I won't let you!" Her hands rose up to form the handsign of pain, summoning it to attack the woman.

Ademia opened her mouth to speak but instead came a cry of agony. "No," she gasped, the flashbacks coming over her as white hot pain seared up her spine. Her fingers reached out, "Please," she cried, tears leaking from her eyes as she gasped out words between wordless shouts of pain.

"You cannot take me," Shinatsu said icily, not yet releasing the handsign.

"I want to help you," begged Ademia, letting loose another moan of pain. "I am like you," she sobbed.

Shin blinked. "How could you be like me?" she demanded, letting the hand sign drop. "How could you understand me at all?"

Ademia pushed herself up off the ground by her knuckles. "I understand your desperation," she whispered as she caught her breath, her body still in spasms from the unnatural fire that had burned in her nerves. "I can see myself in you. I want to help you meet a better fate than I did."

Shinatsu stared at the woman, her young mind trying to wrap around this. "Why do you cover your face?" she asked a little worriedly.

"My face is terrible to see," Ademia said quietly, now sitting on the ground, head down. "I would not have it that everyone must endure the fruits of my past."

Curiosity overcame Shin and she pattered over to the woman. "I want to see," she said.

"Don't," said Ademia, now defensive. "You mustn't. It would frighten you."

"I want to see," Shinatsu repeated firmly. "I need to know."

Hesitating, she murmured, "Please, don't let this run you off." She reached up and slowly unwrapped the head bindings.

Shin nodded and watched in growing shock and distress as the woman's face was revealed. She stared at the pockmarked skin, the shattered nose, droopy eyes, the cut marks that had not faded with time and the one eye that was clouded over and blind. Her stomach turned and she whispered in horror, "What happened to you?"

Ademia lowered her head and said, "I was raised in a turbulent and violent household. I would not risk sharing with you the events that caused my disfigurement, besides the fever and disease that hastened the effect."

Shin bit her lip and said, "I understand. I'll go with you," she conceded. "What is your name?"

Ademia rewrapped her head and said, "They call me Ademia as I cannot recall my real name. What is yours?"

"Shinatsu," answered the girl.

"Well, Shinatsu," Ademia said, standing up and offering the girl her hands. "I promise you life that is at least comfortable, clean and safe. Will that suit you?" She nodded, looking up at the masked face earnestly. She took the outstretched hand and followed her back to the house.

_"She passed," announced Clotho, continuing to weave._

_"Freely giving away what little she possess in favor of aiding one who has nothing is impressive," murmured Lachesis. "One would expect more selfish thoughts but she seems to have none."_

_"For the moment," said Atropis. "Once she begins to locate the rest of herself, her true nature will begin to show itself."_

Cye woke up with a throbbing migraine and to him it seemed to be worse than the one that normally accompanied his hangovers. He groaned and rolled over, seaking to hide his head in the couch cushion and evade the sunlight that made his temples throb.

A nudge in his shoulder caused him to look up. Ryo said in amusement, "Thought this might help." He offered Torrent aspirin and tea.

Cye pulled himself up and accepted the offering. "What the hell," he grumbled as he tossed the pills down. "I feel like I got hit by a truck."

"Close," Ryo said, grinning. "You got hit by Kento."

"Say what? No, wait until the painkiller kicks in," Cye said, closing his eyes and drinking the tea. He sighed as his headache began to subside. "What was that about Kento?" he asked.

"Kento apparently used blunt force trauma to get you home without an argument," Ryo said, flopping into an armchair.

"I'm gonna kill him," he said, shutting his eyes and rubbing his forehead.

"Good luck," chuckled Ryo, finding the whole situation amusing. A knock on the door signalled that the rest of the crew had arrived for their group pow wow. Standing up, Ryo went and got the door, allowing Sage, Kento, Rowen and Mia into the apartment. "Good morning," he said cheerfully.

"Good morning is an oxymoron," Rowen said through bleary eyes.

Ryo tsked disapprovingly. "Might help if you didn't stay up so late, Ro."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Mia said with a smile. "Where's Cye?"

"He's on the couch nursing his head," Ryo said, grinning. "He's got a killer migraine from Kento's helpful hand last night."

Mia walked into the living room to visit him. "Morning, Cye," she said cheerfully.

Cye's headache was forgotted as he laid eyes on the woman. "Mia!" he said with a wide smile, beckoning her over. "How's my favorite lady?"

Mia laughed and waved him off, taking the arm chair instead. "Stop it, Cye. I've got a boyfriend now."

Cye sulked a little. "You're cruel," he said.

"Life is cruel, Cye," Rowen said, still in a bad mood about being woken up about three hours ahead of time.

"You guys," groaned Mia.

"We aren't fighting," Rowen said.

"Yet," put in Sage, leaning against the wall and looking around at those gathered dispassionately. "Someone care to enlighten me on the cause for this little get together?"

"Eh, you know you're glad to get away from the dojo," Kento winked. "Out doing your own thing for once instead of being a good little robot."

"The reason I asked you to come here," said Mia, "is because I've gotten an amazing opportunity to travel to America as a lecturer on Japanese mythology."

"That's awesome Mia," Ryo said, shoving Cye over so he could sit down on the couch. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "At least a year, maybe two."

"Wow, that's quite a trip," Rowen said.

Mia nodded. "I'm leaving this weekend. I know its short notice but I only was informed of it a couple of days ago and after thinking it over, I'd really enjoy doing it."

"That's great," Kento grinned. "Have fun, bring me home a souvenir!"

"Say that when she's boarding the plane, dufus," Rowen said. Kento flicked off his friend and turned back to Mia, otherwise unperturbed.

_"These men," said Clotho, gesturing to the five young Ronins, "They must help Ademia reclaim the shards. Rowen of the Strata, his knowledge will aid her in locating the lost half of her charm, the Nortis Pendant." _

_"Their bravery will help her but it cannot save her if she does not wish to be saved," said Atropis, her dark eyes burning. _

Sage shifted from foot to foot over and over again.. Somehow, he could not simply be calm like he normally was and he could not understand what was behind it. His expression was a frown as usual but something unusual was to be noted about that as well.

The others were discussing Mia's coming trip unknowing of Sage's growing restlessness. It seemed to him that despite the apparent calm, something was just wrong. He straightened himself and said aloud, "I'm going out for a walk. I'll be back later."

Ryo looked up to see the odd expression on Sage's face. "Is something wrong?" he asked, frowning at the blond swordsman.

"I'm fine," Sage said. "I just need some fresh air."

"If you say so," Wildfire's bearer said, still giving Sage doubtful looks as the man walked out the door.

"What's his deal?" asked Kento asked.

"I don't know," Ryo said. "But I'm willing to bet it's his armor that has him stirred up."

"_This is interesting," Clotho said. "I never would have thought he would sense our movements."_

"_Nor had I," said Lachesis, a frown on her face. "He is more perceptive than I knew."_

"_The armor of Halo knows it is being set up for something," came Atropis' clipped input to the conversation. "And it is definitely trying to forewarn its bearer."_

_A thoughtful look came over Lachesis. "He must find her," she said, already beginning her preparations._

"_Not alone," said Atropis._

"I'm going after him," Ryo said.

"Hey!" Cye said in protest. "You can't go out yet!" Ryo shoved Cye back into the couch in way of response before heading to the door. "Why does he never listen?" grumbled the man, a peeved expression on his face.

"This is Ryo we're talking about," Rowen said blandly. "Do you need to ask that?"

Cye picked his head up and gaped at the archer. "Am I just hearing things or did you for once not state the obvious?"

Rowen's retort was, "Don't push your luck."

Shinatsu sat in the kitchen beside Ademia. She was clean and patched up by the woman's expert medical skills and was now eating ravenously. She finished off the sandwiches the older woman had given her with lightning speed and sat back in relief.

"You won't be able to eat a lot at once," Ademia was saying as she tidied up the kitchen.

"Your stomach has shrunk from how little you've eaten lately and it will fill up quickly. Don't push yourself too much, you might get sick."

"Thanks for all of this," Shin said, smiling gratefully.. "I don't know what would have happened without you."

Ademia winced. "Let's not go there," she said cheerfully as she turned back around. "The important thing is that now you're safe. When you start to feel hungry again, I've put more sandwiches in the fridge for you, ok?" Shin nodded and then let loose a huge yawn, causing Ademia to wince. "Oh, I keep forgetting. You're probably exhausted. Come, you can have my bed."

"But where will you sleep?" Shin asked in surprise. "I may as well take the couch, I'm smaller."

Ademia wouldn't hear of it. "Don't argue," she said sternly. "You need to rest in comfort."

"Considering where I had been sleeping," Shin gave a rueful smile, "The couch would be heaven."

"At any rate, you're sleeping in the bed. Not another word about it, ok?" She'd gone to the warehouse with Shin to collect the few things the girl had and seen the make shift home she'd had.

Shin smiled and nodded, following her obediently. She was given a clean nightshirt, which may have been embarrassingly short for Ademia but for Shin it was the right length. "Thank you Ademia-san," she said with feeling.

Ademia smiled softly. "You have nothing to thank me for," she said to her. "I'm here for you – one woman to another, okay?"

Shin nodded and climbed into the bed, allowing the older woman to tuck her in. It brought to the surface memories of her mother and she whispered, "Do you think my mom is in heaven?" She turned to look at Ademia searchingly.

Hesitating, she wondered what to say to the girl. She'd never been very religious and yet if there was no high force how could she explain her escape from her previous life? "Your mother is fine,' she said reassuringly. "And now so are you. Get some sleep, little one." She gave the girl a kiss on her forehead before walking out and closing the door.

Standing at her screen door, she gazed out at her backyard. It was a small haven in a big city, green and full of life. She needed it that way – a private and secluded safe place away from prying eyes. In the late afternoon light it was a pretty sight with the birds chirping and calling. Walking out, she took a seat beneath the tree, closing her eyes in meditation. The birds, familiar and unafraid of her, paid her no mind and came near without worry.

'_Sleep, child, sleep. Breathe the air and hear the birds, the quiet soothes your soul. Sleep!' The incantation wound around and around as Clotho wove her spell, manipulating the threads of time._

Sage walked down the sidewalk with his hands shoved in his pockets. His expression was neutral again as he released some of his pent up energy with a hard march. He wasn't sure what was going on with him that he was so neurotic feeling all of the sudden. The fact that he was out of control of himself unnerved him more than anything else did. What was his armor trying to tell him?

Normally he didn't pay a lot of attention to his surroundings when he walked. He knew the city inside and out having used his knowledge to escape frantic fan girls for years. He looked around him, his attention flitting from one thing to the next as if he had suddenly become afflicted with Ryo's ADD.

He came to a halt suddenly as his ears picked up the sounds of birds. In surprise, he jerked around, trying to find where it was coming from. Birds? In the city? A lot of them, too. Had he finally lost his mind and was now hearing things?

Ryo's feet pounded down the sidewalk as he searched for the blond man. Finding him at long last, he paused and bent over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "There you are," he got out.

Sage's incredulous expression gave away some of his shock. "What are you doing?" he asked. "And more importantly, how on Earth did you ever escape Mother Cye?"

Ryo laughed in a breathless way. "I don't know, I guess I surprised him.. What are you doing way out here?"

Sage shook his head. "I don't know. I feel like the armor was telling me to come here but the reason is lost on me." A bird flew over a nearby wall and settled on the branch of a tree, twittering cheerfully. Sage looked at it curiously as did Ryo, before they looked back at the wall.

"Do you think that whatever it is that has you in an uproar is over that wall?" asked Ryo, frowning at it.

"Worth a shot," Sage said, hauling himself up to the top of it. He blinked at the sight that met his eyes. It was as if he'd stepped out of the city and into a jungle. If he'd ever known just an island of green existed he would have come a long time ago.

Ryo landed beside him and let out a soft exclamation of surprise. "Woah, what is this place?" he wondered.

Both of the men were seized by the impression that time slowed here or perhaps didn't move at all. There was a breeze that shifted the tree leaves which hadn't been felt outside the garden and a whisper barely audible that they could have sworn was the place welcoming them.

Ryo shook his head quickly. Such fanciful notions were best left for Cye. The breeze hadn't been felt because the wall obvious blocked it from their direction, the whispering was only tree leaves brushing against each other, and time moved at a normal pace, slowed simply by their momentary shock.

"Come on," whispered Sage, dropping soundlessly into the strange garden, Ryo following him more reluctantly. They looked around before deciding to investigate. Though the area wasn't so large itself the boys still felt as if they were in the middle of no where and that civilization had left them behind.

A figure, leaning quietly against a tree from where it sat at the base of its trunk, was missed entirely as they stared in awe. Ademia opened her eyes, some part of her instinct telling her that she was no longer alone. Turning her head, she saw them and her brow knit in confusion.

"May I ask who you are?" she spoke quietly, standing silently.

Ryo and Sage whirled around and saw her for the first time. The alarm brought by her presence was not lessened by her completely masked figure. They exchanged glances, both feeling like a couple of trespassing kids.

"We're sorry," Ryo said. "We didn't mean to intrude, we just saw all the birds and…"

"Please," Ademia held up a hand. "Don't worry yourselves; I do not harbor ill will towards you for coming. I am merely surprised for it isn't often I get visitors."

Ryo blinked. Could anyone really wonder at that, considering she was masked head to foot like some kind of Arabian that landed in Tokyo. Her speech was odd, too, as if her lips could not properly form words

"My pardons," Sage said with a formal bow. "I would not have come in if I had realized that this is your home."

Ademia considered them for a moment and beckoned them towards the house. "Come," she said simply.

They exchanged another mutual look before following obediently. What were they in for now?


	3. Chapter 3: Ten Ways to Know

**Chapter Three: Ten Ways To Know**

Ryo had his hands shoved in his pockets as he walked alongside Sage, who was by all appearances lost in thought. He himself was contemplating the oddity they had just spent the last hour with. Though the conversation had been sparse it was obvious that both parties had a healthy dose of curiosity regarding each other. Ademia had been thrilled to gain insight to young minds or at least young compared to her. Ryo was twenty-three and Sage was due to turn twenty-four the next month.

Ryo thought it was strange that a woman lived so ostracized by society and perhaps even slightly disturbing. "Who is she?" he wondered aloud. "What's she doing here? I'd expect to meet someone like that in a convent, but not in Tokyo."

"The whole thing is curious," mused Sage, whose mouth was curved into a delicate frown.

"Did you detect anything?" asked Ryo, accustomed to his friend's high level of sensitivity.

However, Sage simply shrugged. "I don't know. Honestly, the whole place boggles the mind."

"Did you see that weird medallion that was around her neck?" inquired the other.

"How could I miss it? It definitely is an artifact and an ornate one. There was some kind of writing on it but it was impossible for me to read."

"It looked broke is what caught my eye," Ryo said. "Why would she wear it if it's missing such a huge chunk out of it?"

Sage again merely shrugged his shoulders. "Personal attachment, maybe?" he mused. "Perhaps it's a family heirloom."

Ryo nodded. "I suppose. Very curious, though."

Sage agreed. "We'll, we'll have something interesting to report to the others."

As if Sage's words had conjured them, a loud noise emanated from Ryo's pocket to jump a foot into the air. He dug out his phone, grumbling about the evils of the device. He only even carried one because the others had whined and griped so much about him always being in the middle of whatever happened and that they needed a way to find him. It wasn't worth it, if you asked him. He saw that it was Cye as he read the name that blinked on the display. "You had to mention the others, didn't you?" sighed Ryo before flipping it open and placing it to his ear.

Sage shook his head in amusement, knowing his leader was in for it.

Ryo answered it. "Hello? Hey Cye."

There was a pause and then a loud voice came from the phone. "ARE YOU BLOODY CRAZY?! YOU CAN'T BE OUT YET! YOU'RE STILL HEALING!"

Ryo winced and held the phone away from his ear. "Do you mind?" he asked. "I'd rather not add deafness to the list of ailments you've inflicted on me."

"You were born with ADD," snorted Cye. "Don't try to lay that one on me."

"Look, I'm fine. I'm with Sage, we're on our way back."

"Stay right where you are, I'll come pick you up," Cye said. "You don't need to over exert yourself."

"I'm not," Ryo said as he rolled his eyes skyward at his teammate's worrying. "And you can't pick me up if you don't know where I am."

Cye paused as this pulled him up short. "You are too over exerting," he said accusingly. "A two hour walk around the city when you should be resting is not light exercise."

"Cye," Ryo commented in amusement, "You should give up being a florist and go into nursing." Cye growled his response to this causing his leader to laugh outright. "I spent an hour at someone's house drinking spice tea and talking. Is that restful enough?"

"I guess. Wait, what were you doing again?" Cye asked as his curiosity overtook him and he was promptly forgot his annoyance.

This was not lost on Wildfire who grinned in unseen triumph. "I'll tell you when we get back. Later," he said smoothly as he flipped the phone shut.

Sage looked over, his one eye wrinkling in barely perceptible amusement. "I take it Cye lost?"

"As usual," Ryo nodded the affirmative, tucking the phone away. He could just imagine the Ronin of Torrent simmering beside the phone right now. "Besides, I wasn't going to have him pick us up when we're only five minutes from the house."

Sage chuckled at this.

As the two walked in the door a little while later, Cye blasted in to greet them. That is, if it could be called a greeting. "Why didn't you tell me you were that close?" he asked in frustration.

Ryo patted his shoulder. "Calm down, Cye. We're fine, no cause to hyperventilate."

Cye grumbled at that. "So," he said, "Tell me about your adventure."

Ryo walked past Cye into the living room and grinned as he saw all his friends were still there. "Don't you people have a home to go to?" he asked.

"Course we do," Kento said with a wide grin. "But if Cye was going to throttle you upon your return I wasn't going to miss a free show!"

"Oi vey," Ryo groaned as Kento and Cye high fived while laughing.

"So what have you been up to?" asked Rowen from where he was lounging with book in hand. "You can't tell me all that time was spent walking."

"Just because you're a lazy bum doesn't mean we all are," Cye told Rowen, earning himself a rude hand gesture in response.

Ryo chuckled as he found a seat. He was in fact quite worn out but it was a welcome feeling compared to being restless and caged with nothing to do but read or watch Cye play video game after video game. "Sage went out because he was on edge about something. The events were odd but we ended up making the acquaintance of a Greek woman."

Rowen's eyebrows shot up and his book lay forgotten at his side. "Something tells me this is going to be an interesting story," he said.

"So is she some kind of leper?" asked Rowen. The description of the day's events had totally captivated him. "Man, I'm never there when the interesting stuff happens!"

"Relax, I'm going to go back out at some point," Ryo said. "Especially since I want you to talk to her. You're the brain in this rabble."

"With zero social skills," interjected Cye.

"Coming from the attention whore," Rowen shot back. Though they might have been rude insults, both were grinning in amusement.

"I doubt Rowen could insult her," Ryo said dismissively. "She didn't care when Sage barged into her garden via climbing her privacy wall."

Kento sniggered. "I think we've been a bad influence on him."

Sage stirred from his position against the wall. "I've been stuck with you mental cases since before Talpa. How could I help but lose my sanity?"

"Hey, the wall ornament talked!" Kento declared, causing the whole room to erupt in laughter.

"So when are we going back to be introduced to your new lady friend?" Cye asked.

"Easy, Cye," said Ryo with a teasing grin. "I don't think this is your kind of woman."

"Yeah," sniggered Kento. "Don't think you'd get much action out of Mother Theresa."

Ryo coughed rather violently at this as Cye stared in offense. "What kind of guy do you take me for?" he demanded.

"One that has to content himself with fantasy because he's got no chance of the real thing," said Rowen with a horrible snicker.

Cye grabbed a nearby book which happened to be a phone book and threw it at Rowen's head. "Speak for yourself, space-case."

"Anyway," said Ryo for what had to have been the eighth time that hour alone. "I'm not going back until Cye releases me from house arrest."

Cye scowled. "You've been learning from Rowen, you manipulative pain in the backside."

Ryo allowed himself a smug smile. "So, what's the nurse's opinion?" he asked, ignoring the jibe.

Cye glowered. "Not for another week," he said sternly.

"Aw, man, come on," said Kento.

Ryo grinned, now even more pleased with himself. All the others would be going berserk with curiosity and thus harass Cye relentlessly to shorten his sentence. There was no saying Ryo didn't have a brain - or a manipulative streak, for that matter.

Cye delivered Ryo another poisonous look as Kento and Rowen made their frustration loud and clear. "The answer remains no," he said, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"Leave him alone," Sage said unexpectedly. "He's only doing it because he cares."

Kento and Rowen blinked. "Did he just..." Rowen started and Kento nodded mutely.

Ryo snorted, starting to feel like he was a prisoner in a mental ward.

_"You know," mused Clotho as she watched the men interact. "This is going to be a very interesting year, with those people involved."_

_"Interesting is an understatement," muttered Lachesis. _

_Atropis was behind her with a hand over her forehead, saying in despair, "If those clowns do anything, it will be to kill her."_

_"Coming from you," Clotho said brightly, "That's probably more like wishful thinking."_

Shinatsu woke up the next morning feeling as if during her rest she had somehow become one with the mattress and pillow. She felt languid and weary despite her long sleep and would have made no move to get up if it weren't for the sharp hunger pangs that intensified at the smell of breakfast cooking. Now that she thought about it, that was probably what had woken her up in the first place.

As she pulled herself up, she relfected on the odd dreams that had accompanied her through the night. It wasn't often that she dreamed and it had never been as vidid - as _real_ as this. She tugged on her clothes and debated what to do about it, ultimately ending on talking to Ademia. She nodded to herself before pattering off towards the kitchen, her stomach already growling loudly.

"You sound hungry," said Ademia in amusement as she girl came in.

Shinatsu grinned sheepishly. "It's pretty adament," she admitted.

Ademia set a plate of steaming blueberry pancakes on the table along with hot syrup and butter. "Enjoy," she smiled, watching in satisfaction as the girl dug in.

After Shin had finished eating, she leaned back in her chair and said, "I can't thank you enough, Ademia-san."

Ademia smiled and said, "It makes me very happy to know that I'm helping you. Seeing you eat and sleep as a child your age should be able to is reward enough for me."

"I had the strangest dreams last night," Shin murmured after a lengthy silence.

Ademia looked over with interest. "What about?" she asked.

"Well," Shin started but broke off. A frown crossed her face as she considered how to explain it. Ademia waited patiently for Shin to find the words she wanted. "I was looking at you," she spoke finally. "But it was more like looking _inside_ you. I don't mean at the organs or muscle," she said, floundering to make herself clear. "It was something else entirely. Like a golden disk covered in weird writing, but it was broken." Shin frowned deeply. "And I watched as the pieces were thrown to the far reaches of the world by weird dark creatures who fought over them."

Ademia stared in abject confusion. "The whole dream baffles me," she said quietly. "I'm in no way wise enough to interpret those though."

"The oddest part," continued Shin, "Was what I saw afterward. People of all sorts crowded into my view and obscured my vision of you - of what was left of you. I remembered a reporter, a man carrying flowers and a man with snake eyes. There were more but I can't recall them in detail."

Ademia ran her hands through the girl's hair as if to sooth her. "We can do some research on it later if you want," she offered. "But for now I think we ought to give you a proper hair tirmming and take you out to buy you clothing."

Shin brightened at this. "Ok!" she agreed.

Giving Shin a haircut proved to be an interesting endeavor. The girl's hair was wetted and combed straight as Ademia fetched her scissors. Having the girl sit on the high bar stool proved to be the first mistake. It wobbled continually and Ademia found herself nearly lopping off a conspicuously large chunk of hair. She promptly had the girl relocate to sitting backwards on one of her kitchen chairs which she brought into the tiled bathroom for that purpose. Then somehow hair got caught in Shin's nose and she was seized by a sneezing fit proportionate in size to what one might imagine Godzilla getting. An hour later Ademia declared it done with a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank you Ademia-san," said the girl as she hopped off the chair, still rubbing her nose.

Ademia chuckled. "Don't thank me yet, kid," she said. "Make sure I didn't make it look like you now sport a mullet."

Shinatsu went to the mirror and inspected the work, now grinning. "It looks great," she said. "Especially when you consider the mess it was before."

Ademia just laughed. "I have no intentions of being a hairdresser," she said wryly. "I hope it grows back quickly for your sake."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Shin said. "It's fine."

"If you say so," chuckled the older woman, shaking her head in amusement.

Rowen walked into Ryo's apartment, newspaper in hand. "Ryo," he said, his tone of voice meaning something heavy was about to hit. "Mind explaining this?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow as if he had no idea what was coming and picked up the newspaper that the archer tossed at him. He looked over the article and chuckled. "I have no idea," he said with a smile, throwing it onto the coffee table dismissively.

"I'm having trouble believing that," Rowen said, glowering at him.

"What is it?" asked Cye, walking over and lifting it up. He skimmed it over and said, "No way! You wrote this about US?" He then proceeded to read it aloud.

_**Ten Ways to Know Your Friends Are Out to Get You**_

_1. When your ocean-obsessed friend begs and pleads to get you, the land lubber, to come on a deep sea dive with him - be very suspicious._

_2. When the same friend points out an underwater cave he wants to explore, don't go. Repeat: DO NOT GO!_

_3. Just in case you ignored my advice and went anyway, if your friend points out a prickly and actually quite poisonous saltwater coral knowing that you don't have a clue what it is and happen to be the type that would poke it just for the laugh - shove him face first into it instead._

_4. Since you didn't follow my advice, it's odds on that you did in fast touch the coral. Lucky you, when you wake up from an unexpected nap you're in the hospital attached to every machine they have. Note how when your friends are allowed in to see you, one of them grabs a wire attached to you and asks, "What's this for?" Directly before yanking it out for examination. Hereafter the IV that was formerly pumping much needed anti-venoms into your body is spilling its contents uselessly on the floor as you bleed profusely. This smooth move is a direct attempt to halt the efforts to save you._

_5. In your already weakened condition, the blood loss and absence of the medication is quickly becoming more than you can sustain and you're headed for another "nap." But lucky you! Your three other friends simply stand and stare as this is going on, evidently unable to call the nurse. I hope you have your will written out._

_6. By some form of miracle or perhaps curse, depending on how long you actually want to be around for more torture, a nurse comes in and sees what is happening. As she frantically attempts to reconnect the IV while calling the doctor and trying to get your friends to leave, one of them says calmly, "He'll be alright. He makes a habit of being in mortal danger." This flippant statement should say it all, especially since the rest of the story is left out - that the mortal danger is normally brought about by very loving friends!_

_7. For the sake of our running hypothesis, lets say you manage to make it out of the hospital alive - thanks to the nurse that after that incident was not about to leave you alone with them. When you make it home you're given strict instructions not to over exert yourself and to rest. However, that was found to be impossible when it was discovered that one of them had left food in your bed (we're not even going to ask what he was doing in it anyway) and you find your apartment is infested with ants. Kill your friends now and leave them as ant food._

_8. Once the apartment is clean and debugged, you anticipate a nice long sleep, free of worry over another attempt on your life or sanity. Not so fast! Diver-buddy states that since this is partially his fault (PARTIALLY?!) he's going to camp over and see to it that you rest plenty. If you have any self preservation instincts, call a hit man ASAP!_

_9. Of course, your friend insists on doing your cooking for you. Evidently, he completely forgot that some foods make you violently ill and his "Get Well Soon" dinner turned out to be a "Puke and Die Special."_

_10. The next day the rest of your "friends" come over to see how you are. They give a big fuss when they hear about your horrible night. However, at this point you're not buying it and are totally convinced they are out to kill you. You tell them so and find yourself encased in a bone breaking hug which the others soon join. It would appear that as a last resort they're going to squeeze the life right out of you._

_And now that you've written an article describing your harrowing week, I have one final piece of advice: get a passport under an alias and flee the country. I'm ready - are you?_

All were gaping at Ryo who at this point was chuckling quietly. "My editor liked it," he shrugged. "I had to write something, do you have any idea how huge that hospital bill is going to be?"

"You have a passport under an alias?" demanded Rowen, looking ready to throw something big and heavy at his leader.

"No," he said, whistling innocently.

"Now this was just mean, Ryo," Kento said, looking over the document.

"No one said the truth is kind," chuckled Ryo, leaning back in his chair. "And before any of you have any brilliant thoughts, my editor says he's on the look out for any mysterious disappearances and/or suspicious injury or death on my part."

Cye huffed. "Ever heard of forgiveness Ryo?"

Ryo nodded. "Sure. Forgiveness has nothing to do with the fact that its a known fact you're out to kill me."

Kento's eye twitched. "I wasn't, actually, but I am now!"

"Do your worst," he said with a laugh. "Murphy's Law guarantees I'll survive whatever it is."

Cye grumbled, "Is this because I won't let you off the hook for another three days?"

"Maybe," drawled Ryo, who was grinning at the mayhem he'd caused. The past four days had been murder for him and thus the article had been a way to vent the lingering frustration of the past month's events. The fact that he was fine now, albiet a little weaker than normal, and still confined was seriously grating on him.

Cye released a long and heavy sigh. "Fine," he said. "But I don't want to hear anything more about this, all right?"

Ryo was already on his feet and heading for the door. "Not a problem!" he said as he ducked out the door.

Cye blinked and Kento was on his feet, "Wait for me!" he said, jogging after him.

Rowen, realizing what was going on, shouted, "Not without me!" He got off his butt to chase after them.

Cye could only follow, as it dawned on him where they were off to. Darting down the road to catch up to them, he shouted, "A little forewarning next time would be nice!" Ryo grinned but kept walking.

"You guys do realize Mia's flight leaves tonight," said Kento absently as they walked towards the mutually understood destination.

"Of course we do," said Rowen. "And we'll be there to wish her off. Not until I've gotten a good look at this mystery woman Ryo's spent the past four days lost in thought over."

Ryo snorted out, "You can look all you want, Ro. I don't think you're going to see much past all of her wrappings."

"Yeah, yeah," said the archer dismissively.

"Bring on the fun!" said Kento, now walking with his arms behind his head.

Cye groaned aloud, "Kento, for our sake, keep quiet while we're there and don't break anything."

"What?" said the Ronin of Hardrock, blinking at his friend. "Why would I break anything? Ryo's the one who throws tantrums and decimates household displays," he added, pointing at their leader who rolled his eyes and ignored them.

"Remember that vase in my mom's house you broke because your gum boat feet accidentally kicked the table leg it was on?" Cye said. Kento released a huff and looked sulky, causing the others to laugh. "Well, I still haven't heard the end of that," added Torrent.

"It's ok," Rowen chuckled and patted Kento's shoulder. "He still loves you."

Cye and Kento exchanged looks before edging away from each other in disgust.


	4. Chapter 4: A Riddle for Rowen

**Chapter Four: A Riddle for Rowen**

Ademia set the bags on the couch and looked around. "Shinatsu?" she called. She had just returned from shopping and buying Shinatsu clothes she thought might fit her. The girl emerged from the kitchen, sandwich in hand, smiling in excitement as she saw the bags. "Ah, there you are," Ademia said. "Whenever you're ready, you can try on what I bought for you."

"Ok!" said Shinatsu. She hastily stuffed down what remained of her sandwich and grabbing the bags, went into the bedroom, still munching on what was in her mouth.

Ademia chuckled and sat down, pleased at how she had made the girl so happy.. She knew she had a lot of work ahead of her, caring for this child and raising her to adulthood. A part of her quailed at the task, crying that she knew nothing about this and was doomed to fail but the dominant part said she had to do her best and she wasn't going to turn the girl away. Too many times had she had that done to her, she knew the deep cuts from it would never fully heal. She wouldn't make the same mistakes with Shin.

"Do they fit?" she called out.

"Yes, they do!" came Shin's voice. "I'll be out in a minute."

Ademia looked up as she heard a knock on the door. She frowned in confusion, who would come visit her? Standing up, she walked into the hall and looked through the peep hole to see the two young men from before – along with three more. Curiously, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Hello," she said.

"Hey," said Ryo brightly. "I got released from house arrest and decided to come visit."

Cye blinked at the woman he saw before him. Well, he wouldn't have been so quick to say it was a woman if he hadn't heard the feminine voice. Her body was so thoroughly shrouded any kind of discernment was difficult.

Kento, of all of them, took this shocking sight the easiest and stepped forward. "Hello," he said. "My name is Kento Rei Faun."

Ademia gave a formal bow. "Konnichi wa. Dozo o-hairi kudasai." (Hello, please come in.) As the men filed into the house, they introduced themselves politely and looked around in curiosity. "Please forgive the mess," Ademia said. "I don't often have visitors."

Cye looked around. "What mess?" he asked. "You should see Rowen's room if you think this is a mess."

"Hey," Rowen said. "At least I'm not a girly guy with how neat and tidy and flowery fresh your room is."

Ademia found herself laughing. "I'll take your word for it," she said.

That was when Shinatsu came bounding out the door of the bedroom, wearing a pretty gray plaid skirt and a white blouse. She halted as she saw the guys and instinctively took a few steps back.

"Shin, these are the young men I told you had visited," Ademia said, indicating to Ryo and Sage. "And they brought the rest of their friends with them."

Kento looked at the girl and winced. "Man, who gave the poor kid her haircut?"

Shinatsu, whose hearing was every bit as sharp as Sage's, turned her icy eyes to him. "I hate him already and I don't even know his name," she declared.

Kento blinked, "Huh?"

Cye patted Kento on the shoulder. "We're buying you a book on tact and how to use it."

"The day Kento opens a book is the day the world ends," said Rowen.

"Just because I'm not a library on legs doesn't mean I don't read," shot back the earth warrior.

"There's a laugh," muttered Sage.

Ademia cleared her throat politely, reminding them that they were bickering in front of their host. "Sorry," said Ryo with a sheepish grin.

"They're all morons," declared Shinatsu.

"Now that was just rude," said Kento, giving her a reproving look.

Her stance was defiant. "Suck it up!" she said in a downright nasty voice.

"Now, now," said Ademia. "Save the bloodshed for the outdoors."

"You heard her," said Shin. "Outside, now."

Kento rolled his eyes. "Like I'm going to fight a little girl."

Shin's expression went murderous and Ademia placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm yourself," she murmured. "They don't know you. Best not to expose yourself."

"He was asking for it," grumbled Shinatsu, who quieted as Ademia's hand tightened subtly on her shoulder.

Turning to the others, Ademia said, "This is my daughter, Shinatsu."

Cye blinked. Who could have known? Appearance was useless in judging their similarity but in personality they were polar opposites. Shinatsu delivered him a piercing look as if she knew what he was thinking and he averted his eyes.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Rowen, seeing something that had slipped free from the folds of her clothing.

Ademia looked down to see that her pendant. "Oh, I don't know. It was with me when I was found."

"Found with you?" echoed Cye in confusion.

"Yes," Ademia said. "I suppose I may as well begin explaining, but please make yourselves comfortable first."

Each of them found a seat, still gazing around in awe, evidently never having expected such a varied and interesting space. Shin sat down as well, deciding to inconspicuously learn more about her new parent. She didn't want to attract attention to the fact that Ademia wasn't actually her mother by asking questions so she kept her mouth firmly shut and waited as patiently as she could.

"My birth nationality is Greek," said the woman, after deciding where to begin and how much to divulge. "But by all appearances I was abandoned upon my birth. I was left on the doorstep of a family's house in Greece. Shortly afterward, they immigrated to Japan and I was sent to an orphanage in Tokyo. Now, I'll not burden you with the details, but after I escaped, I had a very rough and dangerous life. What remains of my body should serve as testament enough for that. But that is the reason I live alone with my daughter. We have no desire to again be caught up in the abuse and horror of street life."

Shin considered this thoughtfully. No wonder Ademia had wanted to help her so much - their lives were mirror images of each other, except hers was worse.

"I know quite a bit of Greek," said Rowen eagerly. "May I see it?"

"I don't see why not," Ademia replied. She reached back and untied the ribbon and handed it to the archer.

His dark eyes widened as he saw it up close. It was barely a quarter of what it once was and yet it completely captivated him with what he saw on it. "Have you done any research on it?" he asked while revolving it in his hands.

"No," she said. "I never really thought about it. I guess it's because it has always just been there with me and I never thought of it in terms of value or history."

"Well, at any rate, if I'm reading this correctly," said Rowen. "It's supposed to be a mystic charm."

"Say what?" came the other's varied exclamations of shock. Ademia sat quietly and waited for the others to halt their stream of questions and then said to Rowen, "Please, continue."

"Well, there is a spell on this thing. The words are roughly translated as 'With this slice ye find life, no death shall touch this broken wretch.'"

The others were quiet as they heard this and then Ademia said quietly, "You don't think... me keeping this is why I'm still alive?"

There was a weighty silence as this was considered. "If it is," Rowen said, "Then there's something else on here. Let me see... it says on the back, 'All Complete.' But that doesn't make any sense. There's no way this can be complete."

"Perhaps there is more writing on the other parts?" asked Sage, leaning over Rowen's shoulder.

"Must be," said the other. "God knows this makes no sense."

"Maybe we should ask Mia," came Kento's suggestion.

There was a moment's pause as the name triggered the same thought in each boy's head and they let loose simultaneously with a shout of, "MIA!"

Jumping up from their seats, they began to apologize for having to leave. Rowen handed Ademia back her pendant. "We'll come back," he promised. "We've got a friend we need to see off."

"Alright," agreed Ademia. "Thank you!"

"No problem!" said Ryo as they bounded out the door and down the street.

"Such curious people," said the woman as she stood holding the pendant and looking at the door.

"You mean, 'what nuts!' Right?" asked Shin with a snort.

"Shinatsu," sighed Ademia. "You really need to be more polite. Where are you manners?"

Shin shrugged and scowled. "I don't know - something about them just grates on me so much I can't stand it."

"How can they grate on you?" asked the woman in exasperation. "You were bickering as soon as you laid eyes on them."

"I don't know," repeated Shinatsu moodily, turning and walking towards the kitchen, her stomach growling again. "By the way, thank you for the clothing."

"You're welcome," murmured Ademia, her eyes showing her concern as the girl retreated in search of food. Then she looked down at the broken pendant in her hand and ran her fingers over the runes. How strange that this had been with her all this time and she had never so much as noticed its uniqueness, much less bothered to have it translated. It was almost as if it was a part of her and she had always taken it for granted, just as most people take their legs and arms for granted.

_"Hmm," said Clotho who was peering curiously at the scene below. _

_"We're going to have to do something about their bickering," said Lachesis, a stern expression on her face._

_"So be it," said the first Fate, altering the pattern of her weaving ever so slightly. _

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Mia watched in amusement as her friends came bounding up the airport aisle.Yuli ran along merrily beside Kento, now a gangly teenager. He'd grown and matured a lot in the years since Talpa and it was almost arguable that he was more mature than any of the Ronins.

Adjusting the bag on her shoulder to a more comfortable position, she stood from the bench she had been occupying and waved a hand in the air to catch their attention.

"Mia!" shouted Yuli, making a bee-line for her. His hair had grown out long and he got teased that he was trying to look like Ryo, but aside from that he was still much like the young boy, albeit tall and quickly turning into a man. He was easily as tall as Cye but not doomed to be a twig like the other man was.

"Hey Yuli," laughed Mia as the boy gave her a hug. "You made it!"

"We almost didn't," said the seventeen year old, making a face and jerking a thumb at the Ronins. "I think Rowen's absent-mindedness is rubbing off on everyone else. They almost forgot you completely!"

The guys' faces showed how pleased they were with this declaration. "Yuli," said Kento. "That's exaggerating."

"Isn't," said Sage blandly, earning dirty looks.

Mia just laughed again. "It's all right!" she said. "You're here, that's enough." She walked over to them and gave Cye, Rowen, Ryo and Kento hugs, leaving Sage with a formal hand shake. "I'll see you guys again when I get back," she said.

"Call us when you land so we know you're safe," said Cye. Ever since their rough plane landing in the Hudson Bay, he'd been more than a little suspicious of all air travel.

"I will," promised Mia as the clock showed she had fifteen minutes to make it to her plane. "I have to go, though. Bye!"

"Bye!" chorused the others, Yuli getting in one more hug before the woman turned and disappeared into security.

"Well, now what?" asked Cye, hands shoved into his pockets. None of them were going to rest easy until they knew Mia was safe on the other side of the ocean.

"Lets go to the video arcade!" said Yuli excitedly.

"Oh brother," said Rowen as the teenager led them out of the airport. "I need to go to the University. I want to see what I can come up with on Greek Artifacts."

"Okay, we'll drop you off," nodded Ryo. "Sage probably has to go back to the dojo anyway."

"Aww," came Yuli's whine. "What's got Rowen going on about artifacts?"

"We've got a mystery on our hands," said Cye. "A Greek woman who carries a mystical charm, only it is fragmented into pieces and she has only one of them."

"As far as I can see, that one piece is responsible for her even being alive," added in Rowen. "There's definitely something queer about her."

"You mean she might be like you guys?" asked Yuli, eyes wide with interest.

"Well, don't jump to conclusions," said Cye. "It wouldn't make any sense for her wear mystical armor. There are online nine suits and all are taken."

Yuli nodded in understanding. "Then what is her pendant for?"

"We don't know," said Kento. "That's why Rowen wants to go to the library."

"Rowen _lives_ in the library," pointed out Yuli. "There's nothing unusual about that."

"Agreed," laughed Kento.

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"See you guys later," said Rowen with a wave to his friends as they drove off. He turned and walked into the University Library through the wide double glass doors, giving a familiar wave to the chief librarian and making his way to the research section.

As Yuli had said, he practically lived here. He lived and breathed the pristine volumes stored immaculately by the library's dedicated staff. This place had never let him down; they had books on every imaginable subject. Though he knew that this time it would be a lot more difficult. All he had to go off were the most basic generalities.

"Hey Rowen," came the cheerful young librarian Sayaki. He was Rowen's friend by default because of their mutual adoration for literature. "What are you after today?" he was asking.

"Well, I know what I'm looking for, but I'm lacking any technical terms for it," explained Rowen. "I need information on ancient Greek artifacts, preferably those with mystical or otherwise arcane powers."

Sayaki considered this with a thoughtful nod. "All right. Let's see what we can pull up."

Rowen followed his friend into the back rooms. He had access to the library's more delicate and rare manuscripts and documents because of invaluable aid he had given and continued to give their research department. He hoped they would have something like what he needed, as Sayaki began typing away at the database computer.

An hour of searching had turned up nothing. The library database was void of anything even remotely resembling what he wanted, something he found odd. They had plenty of books and references to Greeks and even their artifacts but nothing that so much as hinted at their mystical purposes.

"This is strange," said Sayaki, tapping his chin. "I could swear we have what you want. I don't understand why the computer can't locate it."

"Was it updated recently?" asked Rowen, receiving a nod in response. "Hmm… I don't know. I imagine glitches are possible."

"Yeah," agreed Sayaki reluctantly. "Possible but very unlikely."

"Well," Rowen said, thinking of Ademia and her curious pendant again. "I'm going to head out. Call me if you come up with anything, ok?"

Sayaki nodded and gave a salute. "Will do. Have a good day."

"You too," said Rowen, already drifting out of the library.

"_The manuscript he needs was removed from the library years ago," said Clotho, watching with her usual expression of detached interest._

"_Of course," said Lachesis. "Should we allow them to find it?"_

"_No," said Atropis rather more sharply than was necessary. "Not yet. He has to prove himself worthy."_

"_And how do you expect him to do that?" inquired Clotho with just a touch of impatience in her voice. "Use divination to locate the pieces? Atropis, be reasonable."_

"_I am," said the eldest with a haughty sniff. "You're too young to understand."_

"_The hell I'm too young!" snapped Clotho, her ire rising._

_Lachesis watched the young maiden and the old crone bicker with an expression of weary exasperation. "He finds it," she decided, coolly interjecting her opinion in the middle of their spat. "I'm siding with Clotho. Now the both of you – shut it!"_

"_So be it," agreed Clotho, serenely returning to her weaving now that she had gotten her way._

Rowen had hardly made it to the sidewalk outside to begin his walk or else catch a taxi, he hadn't decided which at that point, when his phone began to jangle loudly in his pocket.

"Rowen, I think I know where it is!" said Sayaki in an excited whisper.

"No way! Hold on, I'm coming."


	5. Chapter 5: The Secrets of One Library

**Chapter Five: The Secrets of One Library**

Terramine came out of his apartment that evening the same as he had any other, slamming the door hard to be sure it actually shut and jamming a key into the lock in an attempt to protect what possessions he did have. He reckoned it was useless, a wasted effort and that he'd be better off with a padlock, but he did it anyway if only for his own peace of mind.

"Terramine-san, is that you?" called the unmistakable voice of his landlady.

He winced as he realized he had to talk to her. "Yes, Henjin, it's me." [1

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" demanded the elderly woman, appearing around the corner. "You're unnatural, you are. No respect whatsoever."

"I have respect," assured the man. "I just don't feel like wasting any on a crazy person."

She huffed. "It's _Hinode_," she said. "And just because I have a mental disorder does not make me crazy."

"It's undiagnosed then," shrugged Terramine, moving to slip past her.

"Not so fast," said Hinode, effectively blocking his path with her wide and stout body. "First you explain to me why your rent is two weeks overdue."

"I was waiting-"

"For me to corner you on your way to get drunk?" asked Hinode sharply. "Fork it over, I know you have it." She held out a pudgy hand and beckoned with her fingertips, the annoyed expression on her face causing her to resemble an indignant toad.

Terramine gave an agitated sigh and dug for his wallet, obediently producing the required amount of yen and shoving it into her hand. "You know, considering what a hell hole this place is, you should lower the rent," he said in annoyance.

"And invite more bums like you? Not a chance!" said Hinode, shoving the money in her pocket. "Happy drinking!" she said, waddling back into her own apartment and slamming the door behind her.

"And what a hell of a lot of drinking I can do," muttered Terramine darkly. "Now that you have most of my paycheck."

He walked down the dirty stairs to the street where he joined the other disinterested people scurrying from one point to the next. He walked leisurely, not wanting to overextend his muscles in his already sore legs. The rest if him was sore as well but his arms could rest as his hands were shoved in his pockets and there was no one to once again chafe the bruises to his chest or twist his limbs into unnatural positions.

He hated being a stuntman, he felt as if he'd lost all of his sense of honor being subservient to the snobbish actors and directors. If only it were possible for him to make a living with his own talents. Unfortunately he had found that the society that had valued and idolized the martial arts was quickly disappearing, leaving him jobless. Well, he may as well have been jobless, he thought bitterly. This excuse for a career was eating him from the inside out.

"Terramine!" came a voice to interrupt his angry thoughts.

Terramine turned to see none other than the guy from several weeks ago. Had it even been that long? Bah, he was losing all track of time. "Cye, isn't it?" he asked, giving him a curious look.

Cye nodded, his brown hair bobbing with his head as he did so. "Yeah, you remembered. I'm impressed!" he laughed.

Terramine gave an indifferent shrug. "My head isn't good for much but I can remember names. So where have you been, I haven't seen you around in a while."

"Had to keep an eye on a sick friend," said Cye, who was now walking alongside the other man.

"Ah, the diving accident?" inquired Terramine.

"Yeah," said Cye. "You remembered that too!"

This for some reason made the other man chuckle. "I read the article your friend put in the paper last week. I don't buy them often but that day I did and remembered what you'd said about a 'bad accident to a fellow diver.'"

Cye said rather defensively, "How do you know that was us?"

Terramine shrugged, still laughing. "Intuition, we'll say, and leave it at that."

Cye grumbled out, "He even got his editor keeping his ear open for any odd accidents or injuries to him."

"Smart man," laughed Terramine, finding the whole situation entertaining and amusing.

"Oh sure," grouched Cye as the two men entered the Onboro no Boken. "You laugh."

"Aw, lighten up," said the other, considerably more light hearted at the nearness of alcohol and the annoyance of his companion.

"Whatever you say," said the other.

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"I was sitting there trying to think of when or where I'd heard of what you were looking for," explained Sayaki excitedly as he fished out his keys and led Rowen into the back rooms. "When all the sudden I remembered why I'd made special note of it in the first place. It was deemed too old and precious to be available for anybody's viewing. The museum wanted to buy it but the library wouldn't give it up. When they couldn't obtain it, they threw a fit until the administrators took it off the shelves."

Rowen looked around the room he had just entered. He recognized it as the book repair room where he saw bespectacled men hunched over ancient tomes in a bid to keep them readable to the future generations. He knew he must be pretty high up in favor to have access to this book that everybody was so protective of.

Sayaki used the pass card that hung around his neck to unlock the door in front of them and led Rowen into a room which was considerably cooler. "You have to have special clearance to get this far in," he said.

"How'd you pull this off?" asked Rowen curiously.

"Buddy, you've got friends in high places," said the other. "Your name is a magic word. They said you can look at it all you want."

Rowen blinked at this. "Wow, thanks Sayaki."

The librarian chuckled as he pulled out the massive and ancient book. "I'm not the one to thank," he said. "But someone had to be in here while you look it over and since you and I get along okay, I figured I'd volunteer."

"Thanks again," said Rowen, already situated in front of the book.

"Don't mention it," said Sayaki. He walked over to the couch and sprawled out, knowing he could get in a decent size nap before the other came near to completing his time in the library.

"Getting comfortable?" asked Rowen as he lifted his eyes from the book.

"Knowing how long you'll take? Wake me up when you're done," said Sayaki, rolling over and shutting his eyes. Rowen chuckled and returned his eyes to the book in front of him.

Sitting down in front of the book and carefully turning the pages, Rowen dove into the wealth of information and history greedily as a kid into his Easter candy. It was all written in ancient Greek so it took him quite a bit of translating. Okay, so it took him a LOT of translating and was painfully slow to him.

The work was slow going but Rowen got steadily more and more excited as he realized what the book was saying. Taking a notepad and pencil stub that was laying at his disposal he began to feverishly take notes.

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The phone rang, jolting the various inhabitants of Ryo's house from their thoughts. Cye got up and walked over to it, lifting it off the receiver. "Hey Mia!" he said brightly. "Yeah, we're fine. How're you?" A pause. "He's doing his homework, he's alright. Mhm. Nah, Sage isn't here. Rowen's at his usual hang out – the library." Another pause. "Okay then. Thanks for calling. Bye!" Cye set down the phone, a relieved expression on his face. "Mia's safe," he said.

"Of course she is," said Ryo. He hadn't shown it in an admirable bid to be mature, but he had in fact worried as much as any of the others had.

"Yeah, that kind of stuff only happens when we're on the plane," commented Kento cheerily.

"Hey, we already know you guys are danger magnets," said Yuli. He was lying in front of his math book but wasn't paying any attention to it and was instead doodling on his notepad, head propped up on one hand.

Kento fixed him with a look. "Hey you, considering how many times you ran into the middle of danger, you've got no room to talk."

"I was eight, what's your excuse?" Yuli asked, looking up and smirking as he saw his nii-san's annoyed expression.

Kento glowered as he realized he'd been outdone. "Touché," he relented grudgingly, earning amused looks from Ryo and Cye.

"Hey," said Cye with a frown as a thought struck him. "No one has heard from Rowen have they?"

Yuli shrugged, now blatantly ignoring the work he was supposed to be studying. "He's probably drowning himself happily in books at the library. Do you honestly expect to hear from him?"

Cye shrugged and admitted, "Not really but for some reason his quiet today is really bugging me."

"Ah, don't worry about him," said Ryo. "He'll phone in if he finds something."

"Actually," said Kento slowly as he sat with his arms behind his head and feet up on Ryo's coffee table. "I kind of doubt it. He'll find something that is interesting and go off to research that and then find something else that interests him in _that_ and have to research _it_. Then before you know it he's gone from one rabbit trail to the next until he's curled up asleep in some dark crevice of the library."

Ryo snorted and tried not to laugh but it came out anyway. He was joined by Yuli and Cye who all found the description of Rowen's activities completely apt. Leave it to Kento to sum it all up.

"They must have a cot in a back room he crashes on," mused Cye with a grin. "I don't think he comes out of there for days on end."

"He has to," said Ryo. "His appetite would drive him out."

"There's a Starbucks right beside the place," added in Yuli. "They serve food don't they?"

They paused to think on this and a grin spread over Kento's face. "So next week when Rowen crawls out of his research and makes his reappearance, what are we telling him?"

"Get married and get a life," said Cye promptly, causing the room to be reduced to hysterical laughter.

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Rowen looked up from his work some hours later and realized how late it was. He'd had his nose buried in the book for almost four hours. Wincing, he pocketed his notes and hurriedly woke up the soundly snoozing Sayaki.

"I've got to go, thanks again," he said.

"No problem," yawned the librarian as he sat up, too tired to repeat that this wasn't his doing. It didn't matter anyhow, though, as Rowen was already out the door and gone. "Oh well," muttered the man as he got to his feet and stretched wearily. "I got a nice nap out of this anyway."

He packed the book back into the safe, securing the combination lock and sealing it up. He paused on his way out as he noted that the more than half the notepad was gone. "I wonder what he wants out of that old thing, anyway," he mused. Then he shrugged it off and exiting the room, locking it back behind him. "Damn, do I ever need coffee."

Cye looked up as the door opened and Rowen entered. "Hey there stranger," he said and pointed at Yuli. "Your homework prowess is needed."

Rowen nodded. "In a minute, okay, kid?" he promised. "I need to tell Ryo something."

"Fine with me," agreed Yuli, picking up his skateboard and high tailing it out of the apartment before anyone else could speak up. The boy hated studying and homework in general and any opportunity to escape or otherwise postpone said activity was more than welcome.

"What's up?" asked Kento as he saw the expression on Rowen's face. It meant that he had big news and that it was chewing away at him from the inside.

"Wait until you hear what I found out about Ademia's pendant," said Rowen who was fairly bursting at the seams. "You're never going to believe this."

"Out with it," said Ryo. "Come on; don't keep us in the dark." He had come out from where he'd overheard the beginnings of the conversation in his make-shift office.

Really one has to be honest and admit that it was more of a disorganized disaster plane. Papers and miscellaneous items, whether they were useful or garbage, filled it so liberally that the desk was half buried. Aside from that there was only a Stone Age computer and a dying office chair that looked like White Blaze had used to sharpen his claws.

"Yeah," said Cye, no curious as well. "What's got you so stirred up?"

Rowen looked like he was about to burst if they didn't shut up. He gestured for them to hold their peace and blurted out, "Ademia doesn't have a soul!"

[1 Henjin means 'crazy or eccentric person' in Japanese


	6. Chapter 6: Sutures on a Shattered Soul

**Chapter Six: Sutures to a Shattered Soul**

"_He has to be present," mused Lachesis. "So the question arises – how?"_

_Atropis sighed. "Can't I just kill him?"_

_Clotho snorted. "He's no use to us dead."_

"_Well, can't I kill someone?" asked the hag, giving her scissors a flex. "Preferably with lots of pain and bloodshed?"_

_Lachesis patted her shoulder consolingly. "Soon, dear, soon."_

"_Back to our main issue," Clotho said dryly. "How shall we bring our dear old friend Ares back into the fun?"_

"_Any kind of conflict will do for me," Atropis said with a smile._

"_I have a better plan," said Clotho with a roll of her eyes._

Terramine stared at the producer. "We're going where?"

"Greece," said the other casually. "The remainder of the movie will be filmed there." The producer was a lean reed of a man with an annoying nasally voice that Terramine often compared to fingernails on a blackboard. "Your flight expenses, room and dinner costs are covered," he was continuing. "I'll expect you to have all of your business taken care of and to be ready to fly out by the end of this week."

"Yes sir," said a somewhat dazed Terramine as he turned and navigated his way out of the building. He still couldn't quite believe what he'd heard. He'd never been out of Japan in his life and the fact that he was going now – to Greece of all places – just about blew his mind.

"Did you hear the good news?" came a female voice cheerily.

Coming out of his thoughts, he smiled in greeting to the other actress. "Hello Yakumi and yes I just came from the producer's office. Why Greece though?"

"Lots of ruins," said the woman happily. She was graceful and pretty with a constant cheerfulness and gentleness that ingratiated her to the gruff man. "We should be there for four weeks they said."

"Four weeks? Wow," he mused. "I wonder if there are any bars by where we'll be staying."

This amused Yakumi who grinned and teased, "Is that all you think about? Nah, I'm sure there are. From the sound of where we'll be staying, I bet there is one in the lobby."

This caused him to come to attention. "Well in that case I'm all for it! Let the good times roll!"

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"Woah, woah, back up," said Kento whose head was spinning. "Repeat that, just slower." Rowen had been trying for the past twenty minutes to describe to them what he had found out in the library. Unfortunately Rowen was highly excited and tended to give random, disconnected statements that made no sense to his audience, no matter how patiently they listened.

In fact, Rowen's previous statement of Ademia's soulless state had left them so bewildered that he'd been given pause to protest that it hadn't come out right. It had only gone downhill from there.

"Ademia's soul was taken and broken into five pieces," he said, starting off for what must have been the eighth time. "Or at least it was if she is the woman the book was referring to."

"We'll discuss the odds on that afterwards," said Ryo. "Keep going."

"The book contained a story about a woman whose husband and lover got into a quarrel. She couldn't stop them though she tried and the fight turned on her. They decided that since she couldn't remain faithful to either of them, they would get rid of her completely. They couldn't or else wouldn't kill her but instead they bound her soul to the pendant around her neck and then shattered it. They threw the pieces far and wide, leaving her only with the section that spared her life."

Kento, Ryo and Cye just stared at first and then Kento said cheerfully, "And this took you four hours to learn this?"

"Everything has to be translated from an ancient dialect of a foreign language. I'd like to see you do it any faster," challenged Rowen who by now was thoroughly moody from low blood pressure and lack of food in his stomach.

"Okay," said Cye, indicating for them to quit. "How do we know Ademia is this woman? Couldn't the other woman have had the pendant taken from her and it just gone off with someone else?"

Rowen shook his head. "That's impossible. It's literally bound to the person. Nothing can remove it."

"I don't know Ro," said Ryo. "I think she'd know if something like that had happened to her."

"Amnesia?"

"But Ademia said it was found with her," said Ryo. "She remembers her past."

"True. Then what about select amnesia? That is the kind where people block out specific memories because of how traumatic they are."

"Maybe," said Ryo with a frown as he thought. "But I still think it's unlikely."

"What other options then?" asked Rowen. "I'm telling you what I've come up with and I need feedback that's more constructive than just simple rejection of the concepts."

Kento got up and stretched before clapping Rowen on the shoulder. "Go back and keep reading," he said and added as an after thought, "After you help Yuli with his studies that he's been avoiding all day."

Rowen sighed as Kento walked out the door. "Where's Sage in all of this, anyway?"

Cye shrugged as he turned on the Playstation 3. "Probably being a good little family heir and seeing to business at the dojo."

Ryo snorted out, "Or else having a moment of rebellion and is off stalking down the back streets." He walked over to the door and stepped out, eyes searching for the teenager. "Oi!" he shouted as he caught sight of the familiar mop of black hair that so well mirrored his own. "Yuli! Get back up here, Rowen's ready to help you with school!"

A loud whine or perhaps a groan was heard and then Yuli appeared with his skateboard under arm and looking none too well pleased. "Do I have to?" he grouched.

"Yes," said Cye, coming out behind Ryo and pointing the boy inside. "What would Mia do to us if she heard we were letting you skive off on the schoolwork?"

Yuli huffed and walked inside wordlessly and Ryo mused, "I can only guess but I have a hunch it would be to hang us high and dry."

Cye whacked Ryo on the back of the head and pushed him inside as well. "That was a rhetorical question you ass."

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Rowen stretched and yawned, having at long last finished helping Yuli though it started to feel like he was no longer helping but was instead simply doing it. Well at any rate, he wanted something to eat because it felt like his stomach was going to cave in on itself.

"I want dinner. Who's with me?" he asked, putting a hand in the air.

Yuli was quick to join him on that count. "I want to go to Kento's family's restaurant," he said, causing Rowen's eye to twitch and Ryo sniggered.

"Yeah, we should go there," agreed Cye with a sly grin. "It's been too long."

Rowen said, "It's been _two days_ and I don't care to have Kento's little brother pull another prank on me."

"It's because you're such an easy target," laughed Ryo. "There's one guaranteed way to get you to show real emotion and that's to get under your skin."

"Maybe if your definition of 'real' emotion is me being furious," said Rowen in annoyance.

Yuli at this point decided to add in, "But when you're pissed off you're so funny!"

Rowen's eye twitched. "Do you or do you not want homework help in the future?"

Yuli gave a smug smile. "Cye's nicer about it anyway."

Ryo chuckled as Rowen's eye twitch was becoming chronic. "Better see a doctor about that," he teased. "It looks like you're having an epileptic fit."

"He needs a girl and I swear more than half of his issues would disappear," grinned Cye.

Rowen's other eye had quickly begun to twitch as well and he looked ready to kill the other Ronin. "Careful there, Cye," said Ryo with a laugh. "You're going to make him drop dead of high blood pressure."

Cye said innocently, "So? Your point is… what?"

Yuli was in fits of laughter as Rowen's expression. "Oh man," he groaned out. "Forget Rowen, you're killing _me!_"

Cye patted him on the head. "Want to be the next Strata bearer?" he asked with a grin. That did it. Ryo completely lost his composure and fell into a heap laughing his ass off. Rowen merely continued to glower.

An hour later after they all, except for Rowen, had sore throats from laughing so much, they pulled into the parking lot of the Faun family restaurant. The archer had simply opted for blocking them all out and had receded into his own mind, sulking thoroughly.

"Come on Rowen," pleaded Yuli. "Cheer up!"

Rowen opened one eye from where he was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest. "Easier said than done."

"I told you-" began Cye.

He was cut off as Ryo reached over and clamped a hand over his mouth. "None of that," he said sternly. Rowen was sulking badly enough as it was, they didn't need any more 'helpful hints' from Cye about the fact that he still thought they should have left the archer in space.

"Alright already," Rowen rolled his eyes. "Lets go, I'm starving."

"Hooray!" cheered Yuli.

After Rowen had filled his belly, which was no small feat, they decided to go pay Sage a visit and fill him in and possibly all go down to Ademia's house and have a pow wow of sorts.

Sage greeted them all politely as always and suggested with equal tact that they take their little group meeting elsewhere.

"You guys trashed my apartment last week," said Ryo. "It's someone else's turn now."

"Rowen's place," said Yuli. "He won't mind a little more mess."

Cye's eyes bugged out at the thought of having to spend time in that tornado room and Rowen seemed equally leery of Cye going anywhere near his space. "No," the archer said. "The last time he visited he tried to reorganize everything."

"It needed it!" protested Torrent's bearer.

"I _know_ where everything is in my room, thank you very much," said the other with an indignant look. "And I have the scariest feeling that I _wouldn't_ if you were to be helpful and reorganize it."

Sage smacked a hand to his forehead. "Who brought the circus to my house?"

Fifteen minutes after this statement was made, a knock sounded on Ademia's door. It would seem that none of the Ronin could think of anyplace better to meet up where they wouldn't inevitably be in someone's way or be a bother in general.

Ademia answered the door and blinked as she saw the men that were congregated at her doorstep. "Is this an arrest?" she asked in amusement.


	7. Chapter 7: A Broomstick

Chapter Seven: The Broomstick

"I want to help her."

The announcement caught the attention of all the guys who in turn looked at the archer in disbelief. Surprisingly, it was Kento who spoke up in agreement. "I do too," he said.

They seemed to mull this over. They all sensed a strong desire to aid the woman and though they weren't too surprised by this fact, it was the strength with which they felt it that tossed them off balance. It was more than simple compassion that drove them on. The Ronins didn't realize, had no way of knowing, that it was their very own armor and their guiding virtues that nudged them incessantly for the woman's cause.

They merely knew that something was gravely wrong. So much that they couldn't put the situation from mind. Kento's armor in particular nudged him with unignorable consistency, repeating itself subconsciously so much that he couldn't separate the thoughts from his own. 'Something has been done wrong here.'

"So now what?" came Cye's voice, interrupting the silent reverie that each had gone into.

"We tell her what all Rowen has found out and offer our help," Ryo said as if it were quite that simple.

"What all have you found out, Ro?" asked Sage, his violet eyes flicking towards the archer who was comfortably sprawled across the arm chair he had claimed.

"From what I've deciphered," began Rowen in what Kento had dubbed his 'brainy' voice and attitude, "The woman was found guilty of a long list of sins. The sentence was that she would have to live as her antithesis until she could conduct herself in a more contrite manner. But from the notes on the judgment, I'd say it wasn't intended to go as far as it did nor to last as long."

"How long has it lasted?" Ryo inquired.

"If this is indeed her..." Rowen trailed off and proceeded to do the math in his head. "At least three or four centuries."

"Bloody Hell," swore Cye.

"My thoughts exactly," Ryo echoed. "So while we're on the topic, how do we break it to her that we're the Ronin Warriors?"

"We don't," said Rowen breezily. "It's the easiest and simplest method. If she finds out, she finds out, but there's no need for her to know ahead of time."

"Agreed," chorused the others.

_"Oooh," said Atropis, a wickedly pleased smile stretching across her toad-like face. "Lying, hmm... the sin of omission. That's going to cost them big."_

_"Oh, keep your whiskers on," said Clotho impatiently. "We're not cutting them off just yet, ye old scissor happy wartnose."_

_"Says the lovely maiden that even Zeus ignored."_

_"Shut UP!" Lachesis interrupted sharply. "We have more important things to do and none of them involve your senseless bickering."_

_"Stick in the mud," said Clotho who was now sulking moodily._

_"Whatever. Back to the matter at hand," said the woman with business like briskness. "It is better if they leave it alone and keep their mouths shut. She will know them in her own time."_

_"Agreed," said the maiden, already back to weaving._

_"Can I cut her string?" Atropes pleaded._

_Lachesis gave her a stern look. "Most certainly not. Do us all a favor and cut your own!"_

_"Oooh, harsh," winced the hag._

_"Bite me," snapped the middle sister, officially ending the conversation._

--

Ademia was staring blankly at them. They had just informed her of their belief of who she was and their intent to do something to help her. Her mind, still swirling with confusion as well as shock, seemed unable to absorb this. She held up her hands to halt their explanations. "Okay, so let me get this straight. You're willing to help me... even though you risk angering whoever made me this way in the first place?"

"Pretty much," nodded Ryo.

She stared and said, "If I was as powerful as you say and they still took me down... You're willing to get involved?"

Cye gave a shrug and a wry grin. "We're dumb that way."

"Dumb?" echoed Shinatsu. "You're fucking stupid!"

Kento clamped a hand over the girl's mouth. "Little girls should not swear like that," he reprimanded sternly.

She nodded and he released her. "Okay, Kento-kun."

Cye stared openly. "How'd you do that?" he demanded.

"Kento has one thing going for him that the rest of you losers missed out on," said Shin. "Its a handy thing called 'common sense.' You should invest in some."

"Oh Kami," said Sage, a hand going to his forehead. "They're bonding."

Before Shinatsu had an opportunity to voice the smart comeback that they all knew was coming, Sage brought the conversation back to where it had originally been. "So our issue lies with finding the remains of her dandy little charm, right?" he asked Rowen.

The archer nodded, his blue mullet giving an enthusiastic bob. "Yeah. I have only the riddles the book gave me to find the locations and they're not simple, either."

"Well, if the walking brain is having a hard time," said Kento from where he sat, hands behind his head and legs stretched out in front of him. "Its safe to say we're in deep."

"Thank you Kento," said Cye and then he addressed Rowen. "Do you have any guesses about where they are?"

"Yes," admitted the man reluctantly. "But that's all they are."

Ryo gave a sigh. "He's so scientifically minded that he can't stand anything unless there's hard evidence to support it," he told Ademia.

"Consider it a hypothesis and tell us," said the woman with surprising briskness.

He frowned but obliged. "The first piece I'm near positive is in Greece. The riddle is this:

On a hill beside the sea,

Blessed of Olympia,

Cursed of beauty,

Weeps the rain on

Slopes of Stone

Walls of safety

Crumbling stone by stone."

"How did you ever guess Greece?" inquired Cye dryly. "Olympia gave you a hint, eh?"

Ademia delivered them both looks that served to quiet them. "Rowen," she said gently. "What else can you deduce from it?"

The archer gave a hopeless shrug. "Not much. I know it mentions a hill at the seaside but Greece has hundred of places like that."

"Okay, so what about the reference to 'walls of safety'?" asked Sage.

"A fortress, perhaps," said Rowen. "But the crumbling bit means ruins and correct me if I'm wrong but.. Greece is COVERED in ruins."

"Alright," said Cye. "Don't get your knickers in a bind."

Rowen's jaw clenched as he fought the urge to make a snappish retort. His inability to decipher the riddle was more than chafing him. The answer eluded his sharp mind so thoroughly that he'd been driven to distraction. He was startled from his thoughts as Ademia's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"It's okay," she said quietly. "No one holds it against you."

"I do," he griped bitterly.

"Well, don't," she said sternly. He looked away and didn't answer.

"What does 'blessed of olympia, cursed of beauty' mean, I wonder," mused Cye.

"There was a Greek goddess who was so beautiful that men fell in love with her just by looking," answered Rowen. "It was... Aphrodite, I think."

"Who?" blinked Kento.

"She was the goddess of Love and Beauty," said Ademia. She looked down at Rowen expectantly. "Do you think she has anything to do with this? She was one of the twelve High Olympians. Do you think that is what it meant by 'blessed'?"

He seemed to be contemplating this. "Perhaps," he mused. "You know what?" Rowen stood up, his excitement having returned with sudden inspiration. "I'm going to do some research. I think I know what I'm looking for."

Cye rolled his eyes skyward as Rowen shot out of the room with no further explanation. "You know, it wouldn't have killed him to wait a few minutes and tell us what's on his mind."

Ryo was looking at the door that the archer had long ago slammed behind him. "With Rowen... I don't know about that."

--

Rowen was once again hunkered down in the library, but this time doing a rather necessary touch up on his knowledge of Greek mythology. After several hours (he had no idea how many exactly had gone by, nor did he care) he set down the textbooks and gravitated to the maps, determined to gain an overview of Greece's landscape.

What he was looking for wasn't entirely defined in his mind but the rationale steadily ticked away as he sifted through the mounds of information presented to him.

"You going to need in to the big book?" Sayaki's voice intruded in the archer's thoughts as he was methodically shooting down idea after idea.

"No, I'm good," said Rowen without looking up from the array of maps he had used to take up one of the reading tables.

This sort of occurrence was completely normal but even this kind of in depth research was overboard from what Sayaki had witnessed. "What sort of project are you working on?" the librarian wouldn't normally have pried but the whole ordeal had him about to burst with curiosity.

"Mm, wha?" Rowen finally pulled his head up out of the papers he had been persuing.

Sayaki casually glanced down at the notebook and quirked an eyebrow at the queer symbols that he saw. It was only a quick peek but it was clear that it wasn't English or Japanese. Rowen noted his looking and subtly hinted for Sayaki to mind his own business when he picked up the notebook and put it back into his rucksack. "Ancient Greek history and life," was his response to the questions.

"This must be one heck of a research paper," said Sayaki, trying to nudge the other into revealing more information. The comment failed to impress or further Rowen's interest, who just as quickly became immersed in his thoughts, pouring over the maps with a distracted mumbled response of assent.

Sayaki blinked and then rolled his eyes as he realized he had already been forgotten. Well, no matter. He had things to be doing that did not involve the overzealous research student. With one last glance at the pile of notes, maps, and books that seemed to hint of adventure and mystery to the librarian, he turned and went to his regularly scheduled duties. He'd been hoping he could get in a nap today but if Rowen didn't need the other book then there went that hope.

When Rowen finally resurfaced for air, it was with a triumphant grin. His rucksack slung over his shoulder, he happily trotted down the sidewalk to Starbucks. This called for one of those sickeningly sweet frappuccinos that made Cye gag at the thought of.

Ryo looked up from the notebook on his lap as Strata's bearer practically skipped in the door. Sage raised an eyebrow and voiced the question that had occurred to them all. "What's got you so happy?"

Rowen tossed his cup in the garbage and faced his friends, beaming. "Guess."

"You finally got laid!" supplied Cye with a mile-wide grin.

Rowen's smile turned into a scowl and before he could answer, Ryo snorted out, "That'd never happen."

The archer shot his leader a venomous look. "No, is that all you guys ever think about? Clean it up, we have young ears present." He pointed at Yuli who was sniggering.

"Key words, 'us guys,'" said Kento. "So the answer is, 'no duh.'"

"No, don't tame it down for me!" the boy said quickly. "This is funny!"

"ANYWAY," said Rowen in a strained voice, his good mood quickly turning sour at his friends' banter. He set down his rucksack and pulled out his notebook which he tossed onto the coffee table before he pulled off his jacket.

Kento leaned over and grabbed it up to get a sneak preview. He evaded Rowen's grabbing hands and blinked at what he saw. "The hell is this?" he asked, turning the paper to view it at different angles, as if hoping it would make more sense upside down or diagonally than it did right-side up.

Rowen grabbed it back, looking as offended as a girl with her diary being invaded by marauding brothers. "Would you just wait?" he demanded.

Something between Rowen's altogether over-defensiveness and the secret language caught Kento's attention and he grinned in a manner that made the archer thoroughly apprehensive. When Kento decided to make a smart comment, it meant you were about to be the laughingstock. "You're drafting love letters or something, aren't you?"

"EH?!" Rowen blinked, stunned.

Kento took this as encouragement and speedily elaborated. "Oh come on, we're not that dumb. The secret code, the defensiveness, the way you talk to her..."

"Talk to who?" squeaked Rowen, pink and wide eyed.

"...The way you look at her for pity's sake," continued Kento, still chortling. "Ademia! Who else? So admit it - ole Ro's caught the love bug and is coming up with tender words to woo the object of his affections!"

Rowen's eyes were like saucers, his face tomato red and white knuckling his notepad. "I am NOT!" he squawked.

By now everyone, including Sage was laughing at him. "Look at him," said Cye, positively gleeful. "His face screams guilty!"

Predictably, though, it was Sage who brought the room back to order. "All right, this is great sport but I'd like to know just what Rowen's original excitement was about - and before any of you make a comment," he added to be a smart ass, "The broomstick isn't coming out any time soon. Get _used_ to it."

"I figured it out!" burst out Rowen, halting any comments from the other guys. At their momentary looks of confusion, he added, "The riddle! I figured it out! I think I know where another piece of Ademia's pendant is!"


End file.
